Caleb Williams, Joel Klatt, USMNT Loses To Turkey, National Sports Podcast Rapid Fire, Mt Rushmore Of Household Appliances + Fyre Fest Of The Week
Episode of Pardon My Take · June 26, 2026 · 2 h 30 min
The Pardon My Take crew reacts to the USMNT's loss to Turkey, ranks household appliances, and interviews Caleb Williams and Joel Klatt about football.
Summary
The episode opened with the hosts watching the final minutes of the United States men's national soccer team's 2-2-then-lost World Cup group finale against Turkey, which they framed as a meaningless game since the U.S. had already advanced to face Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dan Katz and PFT Commenter discussed LaMelo Ball's trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Katz arguing Ball could relieve pressure on Anthony Edwards. A rapid-fire segment covered the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding festivities reportedly tied to Madison Square Garden, Austin Reaves's max contract, MLB owners' bargaining proposals, Caitlin Clark, the Terrion Arnold kidnapping allegations, and Brian Kelly joining TV. Hank Lockwood insisted he had never criticized the U.S. team and simply does not care about soccer.
The crew then drafted a Mount Rushmore of household appliances, debating air conditioning versus refrigerators, whether grills and TVs count, and the status of the garage fridge.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams discussed being on the Madden NFL 27 cover, dismissing the cover curse, his daily in-season meetings with coach Ben Johnson, how trust formed after an 0-2 start in 2025, the playoff win over Green Bay, his completion percentage, playing in cold weather, a blueberry company investment, and his pregame playlist. Joel Klatt described recording roughly 90 hours of lines for College Football 27, called the Brendan Sorsby eligibility saga a disaster for college football, advocated collective bargaining with players and antitrust protection, listed his national title contenders, predicted Alabama would be undefeated entering its Georgia game, and suggested the playoff would eventually expand to 24 teams.
The show closed with Fyre Fest of the Week: Lockwood's dentist visit, the end of the office softball season, PFT Commenter's joke about Brandon Aiyuk "stalking" the Commanders, and Zach's upcoming apartment move.
Chapters
- 2:57
Live finish of USMNT vs. Turkey
The hosts open while watching the end of the U.S. World Cup group finale, calling it a preseason-style game.
- 4:35
LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves
Katz and PFT Commenter assess the trade's impact on Anthony Edwards and the Hornets.
- 7:12
Rapid fire: Swift wedding and Reaves contract
The hosts discuss the Swift-Kelce wedding and MSG before the U.S. concedes the losing goal.
- 10:03
Hank's soccer stance
Hank Lockwood denies trashing the U.S. team while the others accuse him of gaslighting; FIFA tiebreak rules and World Cup broadcasts are criticized.
- 19:08
Rapid fire: MLB, Caitlin Clark, Terrion Arnold, Brian Kelly
Topics include MLB owners' CBA proposal, Caitlin Clark discourse, the Terrion Arnold kidnapping allegations, Brian Kelly's TV job and Adam Silver on parity.
- 30:39
Mount Rushmore of household appliances
Two teams draft appliances, debating air conditioning, refrigerators, grills, the garage fridge and air fryers.
- 57:25
Caleb Williams interview
The Bears quarterback discusses the Madden cover, Ben Johnson, the 2025 playoff run, completion percentage and his offseason.
Linked moment · 1:35:12Skip to 1:35:12 using a listen link in the info box.
1:35:12Joel Klatt interview
Klatt covers voicing College Football 27, the Sorsby ruling, college sports governance, title contenders and playoff expansion.
- 2:11:03
Fyre Fest of the Week
The crew shares weekly misfortunes including a dentist visit, a rained-out softball season, Brandon Aiyuk and Zach's move.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Dan Katz
Dan Katz argues that adding LaMelo Ball gives the Timberwolves a ball handler to ease defensive pressure on Anthony Edwards.
“The minute he comes across half court, now they have someone who can take the pressure off him that can handle the ball”
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter says the LaMelo Ball trade makes Minnesota the league's most unpredictable team.
“instantly makes the Timberwolves the most interesting team because I have no idea what the fuck is going to happen with this combination”
- Dan Katz
Dan Katz criticizes FIFA's tiebreaker changes for producing meaningless group-stage finales.
“I thought that FIFA changing the tie-breaking rules the way they did is so stupid”
- Hank Lockwood
Hank Lockwood maintains he has always been open about not caring about soccer rather than disliking the U.S. team.
“I have been so honest, upfront, and since the day this show was started, I do not care about soccer”
Listen from 14:20 · United States men's national soccer team
- Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams says he does not believe in the Madden cover curse and intends to disprove it.
“No, those things, we're not going to mention it, but I don't believe in them. I don't think they're real”
- Caleb Williams
Williams recounts that his trust in Ben Johnson formed after the Bears' 0-2 start, while the offense clicked around midseason.
“But my trust with Ben clicked after our first two losses”
- Caleb Williams
Williams explains his low completion percentage partly as a product of throwing the ball away to preserve downs.
“I throw the ball away the most to try and keep us in advantageous positions because I know coach will go for it on fourth down”
- Caleb Williams
Williams says he intends to raise his completion percentage this season to silence critics.
“So we'll get it up this year. Just to shut everybody up and help everybody to understand”
- Caleb Williams
Williams says he prefers playing in cold weather and tends to play better late in the season.
“I actually love the cold more than any other weather because I just – my temperature, I run hot”
- Joel Klatt
Joel Klatt says EA used no AI for his commentary and he recorded nearly 90 hours of lines.
“I did close to close to 90 hours, not quite 90 hours of recording with EA”
- Joel Klatt
Klatt calls the local-court ruling allowing Sorsby to play a disaster and supports the outcome barring him.
“I thought that the entire thing was a disaster for college football”
- Joel Klatt
Klatt argues college sports needs collective bargaining with players and antitrust protection to enforce rules.
“I personally believe that we need to collectively bargain with players”
Listen from 1:44:36 · Collective bargaining in college sports
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter agrees that without a CBA, college sports will face constant litigation.
“I think that without a CBA in place, you're going to find yourself just back in court repeatedly”
Listen from 1:44:55 · Collective bargaining in college sports
- Joel Klatt
Klatt suggests multi-year player contracts could lead to NFL transfer fees paid to schools, as in European soccer.
“Wouldn't it become just like European soccer where the NFL's got to pay a transfer fee to that school in order to get the rights to that player?”
Listen from 1:45:58 · Collective bargaining in college sports
- Joel Klatt
Klatt names seven or eight legitimate title contenders, including Indiana, Miami, Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame and LSU.
“I think there are seven teams, maybe eight, that have a real legitimate shot to win the national championship”
- Joel KlattPrediction · being checked
Klatt predicts Alabama will be undefeated when it faces Georgia on October 10 but will need a close win to get there.
“I think they'll be undefeated. I think they're going to have to win a really tight ballgame in order to be undefeated when they face Georgia”
- Joel Klatt
Klatt expects the playoff to eventually expand to 24 teams, citing the lack of meaningful postseason access under 12.
“I do think we'll eventually land on 24”
- Joel Klatt
Klatt offers UCLA under Bob Chesney as a dark horse, comparing it to Curt Cignetti's Indiana.
“I think UCLA might be better than people think”
People
In the conversation
- Dan KatzBarstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take
- PFT CommenterBarstool Sports writer and co-host of Pardon My Take
- Hank LockwoodPardon My Take contributor and Boston Celtics fan
- Max DelentePardon My Take producer and Philadelphia 76ers fan whose bachelor party is referenced
- ZachNewest Pardon My Take staff member, Knicks fan
- Caleb WilliamsChicago Bears quarterback and Madden cover athlete
- Joel KlattFox Sports college football analyst and voice of EA Sports College Football 27
Discussed
- LaMelo BallCharlotte Hornets guard named player people gave up on too soon
- Anthony EdwardsMinnesota Timberwolves guard
- Ben JohnsonChicago Bears head coach
- Brendan SorsbyTexas Tech quarterback involved in a betting case
- Lane KiffinLSU football head coach, formerly at Ole Miss
- Kalen DeBoerAlabama head football coach
- Brian KellyFormer LSU head football coach
- Caitlin ClarkWNBA player
- Terrion ArnoldNFL cornerback linked to a kidnapping allegation
- Brandon AiyukSan Francisco 49ers wide receiver
- Will SteinHead football coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, former Oregon offensive coordinator
- Patrice LumumbaCongolese independence leader honored by a statue-posing World Cup fan
Topics
- Chicago Bears
- United States men's national soccer team
- 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Mount Rushmore of household appliances
- Madden NFL 27
- College Football 27
- Brendan Sorsby eligibility case
- Collective bargaining in college sports
- College Football Playoff expansion
- 2026 college football season
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding
- MLB collective bargaining negotiations
- Caitlin Clark
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From the publisher
We start the show live during the last 10 minutes of the USMNT loss to Turkey (00:00:00-00:17:56). We talk Lamelo Ball to the Timberwolves and a rapid fire national sports podcast topics including MLB lockout, Terrion Arnold, Caitlin Clark and more. The USMNT's loses to Turkey and Hank wants to clarify his thoughts on soccer (00:17:56-00:30:16). Mt Rushmore of Household Appliances (00:30:16-00:57:05). Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams joins the show to talk about his offseason, being on the cover of Madden, the incredible 2025 season, getting better for next season and more (00:57:05-01:33:55). Joel Klatt joins the show to talk CFB, voicing the new CFB 27 game, Sorsby, future CFP expansion and more (01:33:55-02:07:58). We finish with fyre fest of the week. You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Netflix. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/pardon-my-take
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.